Michael Jordan has left an undeniable legacy in the NBA. He is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time and has revolutionized basketball worldwide. It is no secret that Jordan’s performance was fueled by a fierce determination to be better than everybody and win. Unsurprisingly, he did not leave this trait of himself even in charity games.
In 1990, Jordan went to play a charity game for underprivileged kids in Charlotte along with some of the other pro players. Among them was Scott Williams who revealed how Jordan stood differently and asked everyone to play like a real physical brand of basketball.
In his own words, “So Jordan, the Carolina guy, he put me on his squad and I got a good physical strong game. Jordan addresses the squad, and he says, [if] you’re not here to play a real, physical brand of basketball, there’s the door you can leave”. This is just another story of the limits that Jordan can go to. Just so that he and the others perform to their best capabilities.
Furthermore, Williams and other players were left stunned at this as they were not getting paid for it but rather were there to support Jordan. He said, “It’s kind of funny because all these guys were pro guys, but we’re not getting paid for this. It’s just to support him”. It is undeniable that playing alongside Jordan comes with its own set of challenges but it is worth the effort.
Scott Williams revealed that he was invited because of Michael Jordan
Scott Williams also revealed how Michael Jordan impacted his career and got him invited to the rookie summer camp. Williams performed best to his capabilities after being inspired and motivated by Jordan’s words at the charity game. He stated, “That allowed my best talents to show through”. Furthermore, he explained how he got a rebound late and an offensive rebound.
Additionally, Williams shed light on the moment that was the game-winner. He revealed, “I found Jordan over the right corner and delivered a strike to him and he knocked down what was essentially the game-winner”. His words paint a picture of an amazing game that was likely because of Jordan’s words.
Furthermore, Williams was also invited to the rookie summer camp because of Jordan. In another interview, he said, “And as he’s leaving the arena pulling off in his little red Corvette, Fred Whitfield tells the story to a friend of mine that Michael Jordan calls Jerry Krause, and says you should give Williams a look-see”.What followed was Krause contacting Williams’s agent to invite him to try out the rookie summer camp. Notably, Scott William made his debut in the NBA in 1981 after being picked by the Chicago Bulls. He and MJ both went to The University of North Carolina, as well as left an impact on the Bulls. Jordan famously won six championships whereas William won three with the team.